Governor Theodore Orji-led administration in Abia State has been accused of perpetrating acts of political intolerance by destroying the campaign billboards of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate, Dr. Alex Otti, ahead of the coming election.
A group, Abia First, which is Otti’s campaign organisation, in an open letter to the Inspector-General of Police (IG) and other law enforcement agencies, accused Orji of intimidation, harassment and vandalism.

The Director of Media and Publicity, Abia First, Chris Uka, said his party was drawing the attention of the relevant stakeholders to the wanton destruction going on in the state. 

“We had earlier alerted on the wanton destruction of our billboards. It is disheartening to note that this barbaric act has continued in the last couple of days. This time around with supervision by agents of the state government. We condemn this act in the strongest terms.
“As if that is not enough, the government has resorted to disrupting meetings and events of supporters of Otti with security agents and hired thugs.

“For instance, at a recent meeting of party members of APGA at Umuru Umehim Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area was disrupted by hired thugs under the supervision of a government appointee. Though the government agent apologised when angry youths rose up against him, the message was quite clear.

“Equally, when a group of youths gathered for a meeting in Ovorji, another set of hoodlums attacked them, alleging that government had instructed them not to allow APGA meetings hold in a supposed PDP territory.

“Still, on Sunday January 4, an annual football competition hosted by Hon. Damian Ozurumba in Mbutu Ngwa, was not allowed to hold. Security agents, who were dispatched from the Government House Umuahia, physically stopped the competition from taking off, alleging that Otti was invited as a guest of honour and therefore it was going to be a rally in disguise.

“They further questioned why the PDP governorship candidate was not invited. All appeals and assurances that Otti was not going to attend, fell on deaf ears,” he said.

The group said it is worried about these signals coming from the outgoing government of Abia State as they portend danger to democracy.
Uka promised that APGA members will continue to conduct themselves with decorum, adding that his party wishes to state clearly that “there is a limit to the provocation coming from people who we expect should be engaging the electorate on their programmes, if any, rather than resorting to savagery.

“We will like to use this medium to call on the federal government and the security agencies to call the state government to order. This becomes very important as we may not continue to fold our arms and watch in the face of the brazen intimidation from the government of T.A. Orji,” the party stated.